7 Ways to Prevent Coffee-Related Heartburn

1. Donâ€™t drink it on an empty stomach, especially first thing in the morning

Some people find their stomachs are more sensitive first thing in the morning and dumping a cup or two of coffee down your throat before you have any breakfast can really be a recipe for persistent heartburn problems for most of the day.

2. Stay Thirsty

Heartburn problems after drinking coffee can be caused by the added acidic liquid, or the increased toxicity of the body. It can also be affected by dehydration. Not only will proper hydration help to offset some of the acidic effects on the body and flush out toxins, it will also help dilute the stomach liquids and help them move more quickly though the body, which can help prevent and relief mild heartburn.

3. Eat more alkaline foods

Ideally, you want to prevent your body from becoming too acidic, or having your body PH balance get too out of whack, like coffee can help cause do to the stimulant effects, as well as the added stress hormones and dehydration that are increased.

4. Use coconut milk instead of dairy

This is my personal favourite. Not only is coconut milk much milder on the stomach than dairy, which can contribute to heartburn on its own, it actually soothes the stomach and calms digestion, as well as being an anti-inflammatory.

5. Lower your dose

Many people have a threshold for the amount of coffee or caffeinated beverages they can consume before they experience negative effects such as persistent heartburn and digestive distress. Know your limit. If you really have to stay alert, consider adding in a cup of green tea later on instead of another cup of coffee. Leave the tea bag in to make it stronger. It will still be gentler on your system than the extra cups of coffee. Also, when you upgrade your coffeemaker, think about getting a single cup brew machine so you won’t always be brewing pots. Who really just makes one cup in a full carafe drip coffee maker? You fill it a third of the way if you are going easy, right? That is still three cups of coffee if you have a 12 cup coffee maker.

6. Medication

I strongly recommend using other options besides pharmaceuticals to prevent heartburn symptoms. Medications are not really heartburn remedies, even though they can provide relief for it, as well as related conditions such as GERD and chronic acid reflux.

There are generally two options for meds that provide heartburn relief when the cause is dietary like with coffee consumption. You can use OTC calcium antacids like Tums or Rolaids, as well as stomach coating products such as Pepto Bismol. The other option is to use an over-the-counter acid suppressing medication/ acid-reduction med, or a stronger prescription one. Zantac is the most well known trade name. You should not be really be thinking about a prescription treatment if your heartburn causes are really just from diet and drink such as coffee. Carrying a couple of Tums in your wallet or purse can’t hurt.

7. Detoxify

Detoxify your body and organs so that you are more balanced and less prone to heartburn. Consider a complete detox diet or program to reduce the daily stress on your body. A holistic approach is far better for eliminating heartburn in most cases than just treating one symptom.